Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) organized the seminar: “Strengthening Human Rights Protection at Local Level”.

Mr. Cristian Urse, Head of Council of Europe Office in Georgia, Ms. Tamar Taliashvili, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Vice-President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), Chair of Education and Culture Commission of Tbilisi City Assembly and Mr. Harald Bergmann, Mayor of Middelburg, Congress Spokesperson on Human Rights delivered the welcome remarks. Representatives of Georgian Local Authorities, Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia, Civil society, the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities participated in the seminar.

In her speech, Ms. Tamar Taliashvili thanked the Congress for the implementation and strengthening of the Council of Europe principles and values at the local level and spoke about the activities implemented by NALAG in this regard.

Ms. Taliashvili stated that: “As a woman politician, I would highlight gender equality as one of the important issues presented today. In this regard, NALAG identified the best practices for this category and 4 Georgian municipalities: Kutaisi, Rustavi, Lagodekhi and Ozurgeti signed the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life.”

The Vice-President of NALAG also emphasized the Georgian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and stated that this platform will facilitate the implementation of reforms that are Georgia’s obligations.

Ms. Tamar Tomashvli and Mr. Koka Kiguradze, local experts moderated the seminar. Discussions focused on Georgia’s human rights obligations and compliance with relevant international standards at the local level, among them were issues related to gender equality, discrimination, protection of rights of minorities and vulnerable groups and other issues.

Later, the seminar continued in the format of the workshop where groups presented their views on gender equality at the local level.

Mr. David Melua, Executive Director of NALAG and Ms. Marite Moras, Head of Cooperation Activities Unit at Council of Europe summarized the workshop.

According to them, the results of the workshop will be taken into account in an assessment prepared by Congress which reflects on the situation and challenges of realizing human rights at the local level.